Veteran Adopts Bait Dog Essay

“If the fake service dog scam continues to escalate, real service dogs, and the privileges and respect they are entitled to, will be in jeopardy.” (Lichtenberg). Service dogs are needed for people with PTSD, Disabilities, Clinical Depression and GAD. A lot of people rely on these wonderful animals to help them get through the day. For example, people who use dogs to help with depression ,what if they get into a bad mood and attempt suicide, the dog will get someone's attention or can even call 911. Soldiers with PTSD suffer from flashbacks and the dog can calm soldiers down and help them know what is real and not. They are not meant to help people who just want to take their dog into the store or have “stressful” or “bad” days. We all get those. Service dogs are beneficial to the world and save lives, you should not be able to just order a kit off the Internet to “license” your dog to be a service dog. Lives are at risk and its wrong to mock the need of a service dog.

In the United States, about 7.6 million companion animals enter animal shelters every year. The overpopulation of these animals and the fact that they have no homes leads to about 40% of them being euthanized (ASPCA). This is a global issue, but the root of it can be found within the local community at The Humane Society of the Ohio Valley.

The facility has not had to euthanize a healthy dog due to lack of space for several years. Programs have been developed such as the “special needs fund,” which allows for expensive medical treatment, rehabilitation, and adoption for many dogs who may not of had that opportunity in previous years. However, cats provide additional challenges due to overpopulation issues. Last year approximately 800 treatable-rehabilitable/manageable cats had to be euthanized. However, programs such as the trap/neuter/release program, foster care in private homes, PetSmart and veterinary clinic housing/adoptions, and free cat adoption incentives greatly reduced the overwhelming difficulties with housing/adopting cats (Nebraska Humane Society, 2014).

Dogs may bring happiness to veterans and help them through the rough times in life. PTSD takes the life of copious amounts of veterans each year. If we want to treat PTSD we need to give veterans a friend to be by their side.

One of the biggest dog busts of the century was in 2007. The man in charge’s name was Michael Vick, a quarterback football player in the NFL. Under the name “Bad Newz Kennels”, dogs were beaten, murdered, and gambled on. The dogs found alive were some of the most damaged possible. Missing parts of their jaws, lost eyesight, or non existent limbs, one would wonder why they kept going, striving for acceptance from their owner. These dogs, to the public seemed dangerous, after all they had killed their entire lives. However, Best Friends Animal Sanctuary was willing to take up the task of these gorgeous animals, ultimately saving their lives. The sanctuary took in 22 dogs, 10 of them, now adopted and living in homes of their own.Through rehabilitation the dogs were taught how to trust, interact and most importantly what love truly is with different trainers daily. Even the dogs who can not be adopted out are by any means not dangerous. Meryl, had been one of the dogs found who was deemed dangerous by the state, meaning she could not be adopted out to a home. Nonetheless, when walking into her kennel, dangerous is the last word you would use to describe her. One of her trainers remarks, "She really doesn't mind new people…. She's very happy and loving. I feel totally comfortable with her. I can grab and kiss her." As she embraces Meryl, "I am building a relationship, ...She needed to see that when

When the Labs are just three months old they will be assigned a foster home. This family will care for the puppies for the next year. They family will more than likely have children in the home because this offers a better way of socializing the dogs from the start. This family will teach this puppy many basic commands like: sit, stay, walking on a leash, fetch, and come. It will be put into as many

Veterans. All of those that have previously served our country in the United states military. Sadly much to often, these veterans come back from their tours physically and mentally damaged. Along with broken and or missing limbs, they are often diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, also known as PTSD. I found the fascination for this illness and veterans while watching a new show on t.v. with my family. It’s called Dogs of War. This show is about a program called “Paws and Stripes” that connects veterans that are harshly affected on a daily basis to service dogs. I know that the concept of veterans and service dogs isnt a new concept, but what is different about this program is that they get the dogs from an animal shelter, then

Over 900,000 veterans live in Ohio alone and many of them are in need of help after returning from war. Wags 4 Warriors is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organisation with a goal to provide veterans with service dogs to ease the strain of daily life. The largest struggle that many veterans face today is PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) which is an affliction caused by a terrifying event. Wags 4 Warriors is not only a service dog organisation but also a support system for the veterans and their families. We provide the dogs and training at no cost to the veterans themselves and many of the dogs are rescued

“Veterans report that service dogs help break their isolation. People will often avert their eyes when they see a wounded veteran. But when the veteran has a dog, the same people will come up and say, 'Hi' to pet the dog and then strike up a conversation.” This quote from United States Senator Al Franken is a shining example of the power that a service animal can have to improve the quality of life for those with special needs who have a service animal. Imagine!

“The VA’s reason for not covering service dogs for mental health disabilities is that the agency follows an evidence-based model and published studies or sound clinical evidence supporting the mental health benefits of service dogs is lacking,” Weinmeyer stated, (2). Weinmeyer said, “this lack of empirical evidence is not for the lack of effort” and “the VA actually has been working to obtain scientific evidence of service dogs for veterans suffering from mental health problems for several years”

“Isolated, his family deteriorating—“I couldn’t show affection, couldn’t hug my kids”—Soliz turned to the Palo Alto V.A. Medical Center” (Colin n.p.) “Soliz says his life is slowly coming back to him and he now can go to the movies without panicking—and hug and kiss his two kids” (Colin n.p.). Moore who explained in her dissertation that, “some of the veterans spoke of ways their Psychiatric Service Dog has bettered their relationships with other people, in particular through increasing interpersonal interactions, Similar to Ensayra and Love's (2008) finding of the dog serving as a "social lubricant”

These illnesses can make it hard to do actions needed in everyday life when they return home from the battlefield. Since these illnesses are often more mental rather than physical, one of the best ways to help soldiers who suffer with PTSD or TBI is to provide a service dog to help their needs. A service dog is “any dog that is individually trained to work or perform a task for the benefit of an individual with a disability” (“Service Animals”). It may be hard to train a service dog or even find a dog to train. Approximately 3.9 million dogs enter shelters nationwide each year and of those 3.9 million, about 2.7 million are euthanized each year (“Pet Statistics”). Many of these dogs that are in shelters are strays as a result of improper care from their previous owners. Much of the nation’s animal cruelty is a result of conflicts between their owners. A 2011 survey states that about 10.2 million men and women are physically assaulted by their partner in the United States every year, and 62 percent of the nation's households have at least one pet ("Animal Cruelty Facts and Statistics”). Animals are just the victims of the prejudice that is going on around

Seeing the need for a new way to heal, the Lockwood Animal Rescue Center in California offers a private place for veterans only. They call the program Warriors and Wolves. They have over forty animals at the facility. They’ve rescued wolves off chains in Alaska and dogs from a backyard breeder in San Diego. In their calm, nature setting, they’re giving veterans an opportunity to heal. One animal picks one veteran and that animal never shows anyone else that same affection. Having a companion and being apart of the pack helps them to heal. The wolves have been through trauma too, just like the veterans, so they have that connection. “There are things I’ve seen that I can’t unsee. There are things I’ve done that I cannot undo. Just saying that, well, I did in the name of my country doesn`t help you sleep at night. But what does help you sleep is having a companion,” says Matthew Simmons, the co-founder of Warriors and Wolves and veteran.

There is no particular geographic segmentation for this issue, however the demographic and age characteristics can be narrowed down to people with hearing, mobility, developmental, medical and psychological disabilities (Government of Alberta, n.d.).

Michele Allen’s work has been a blessing to many dogs who could’ve been stuck in a shelter for the rest of their lives.